This is the 25th issue of The Better Mousetrap. Can you believe it? Many of you have joined our mailing list after the first issue. So we have archived all the 24 previous issues on our web site. It is easy to review all of them. Just click here for the list or go to the Cheshire Group web site and click on the link that says The Better Mousetrap E-Mail Newsletters.

    We hope that you are continuing to enjoy The Better Mousetrap Online Newsletter. Many of the articles in this newsletter come from our book, Morsels from THE BETTER MOUSETRAP. Just click here to order your copy. Or visit our web site at www.cheshiregroup.com so that you can learn more about The Cheshire Group and see samples of our work.
   

BLOGGING IN TODAY'S BUSINESS CLIMATE.
It's not just your son's/daughter's domain anymore.

Blogging has arrived as a very important business tool. It enables companies to reach out to customers, to generate excitement about a product or service, to build goodwill or to inform customers and prospective customers about "what's new" at the company.
    What exactly are "blogs?", you ask. Simply they are "web logs" or a form of diary consisting of "postings" or articles, and in most cases, allowing viewers to leave "comments" about the postings. For example on web sites such as Amazom.com you can search for a particular product and then view the comments left by previous buyers of that product. I recently searched for a new laptop on a site and after finding the product that appeared to fit the bill was turned off by the comments left by buyers of that product. Those comments were in response to a product offering, or in a sense, a "posting."
    Well, who'se using blogs for business? Hundreds of companies such as McDonalds, Hewlett-Packard, Wells Fargo, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, IBM, The Wall Street Journal...almost everybody.
    Business blogs are usually incorporated as a part of a web site. A special software program is required in order to set up the blog. In actuality, once the blog is installed you can post comments yourself even if you have only rudimentary knowledge of web sites. And you can monitor the comments and even edit or delete them if you so chose.
    Here are five reasons why you should consider blogs for your business:

• Cost: Blogging software is usually free since they are open source applications and they are easily incorporated into your existing web site.
• Communication: Blogs are an excellent tool for interactive communications with your customers and prospects. It's like having a chat group on your web site.
• Research: Blogs can help you enter new markets or develop new products by discussing your ideas with your present customers and prospects.
• Feedback: Here's a great way to find out what your customers think about your product or services and to help improve what you are presently doing.
• Reputation: Blogs can assist in personalizing your company. And then can help in publicizing your organization.

E-MAIL POPULATION IS AGING!
Will one day e-mail be only for seniors?

The Pew Internet and American Life Project has released a study which says that almost 75% of all web users over 64 years of age send and receive e-mail. According to the study this activity is the primary use of the internet by this age group.
    The largest increase in internet use has come from people between the ages of 70 and 75. Only 26% of this group were online in 2005. Now 45% are active online.
    Teenagers are using less e-mail today. Back in 2004 89% were using e-mail compared to only 73% today.
    However research shows that only 4% of the online population is 73 or older.This compares with 30% for people between the ages of 18 and 32. And 23% of those 32 to 44.
    Overall, more than 90% of all internet users between the ages of 18 and 72 use e-mail. This is the primary application of the internet just ahead of the use of search engines.

Data courtesy of Ken Magill at Direct.

IDENTITY CRISIS.
Know when to leave well enough alone.

BETCHA DIDN'T KNOW.
Courtesy of Dr Robert Amsterdam.

The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.

The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:
    Spades - King David
    Hearts - Charlemagne
    Clubs -Alexander, the Great
    Diamonds - Julius Caesar

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.

Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?
A. Their birthplace

Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested?
A. Obsession